Simon Aumônier
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Aumonier Consulting Limited
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
I am an environmental (or sustainability consultant), spending time in government-funded R&D in the renewable energy and resources sector before entering consultancy in 1997. After 24 years at ERM in which I grew and ran consulting teams, I became a freelance consultant in 2022.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
When I started my degree at Exeter my interests were in ecology, but I became progressively more interested in the impact of society on the environment and ways of modelling, understanding and mitigating these effects. Working with business and policy-makers on this topic is very rewarding and one has the opportunity to make a contribution to a better environment for future generations.
Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?
I was a member of the biology and geography societies and played intramural hockey.
What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?
Field trips locally in Devon and Cornwall and to various European destinations.
What did you most enjoy about studying here?
Exeter was a very accommodating city for a student and its accessible surrounding environment is glorious.
Why did you choose to study at Exeter?
The balance of the course I chose to study and the local environment.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
Experience across disciplines, working within teams and dealing with people, and combining communication and numeracy skills.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
Be clear about what you are interested in and not interested in. Speak your mind, politely and clearly. Think hard about whether issues are truly understood, or if there are missing pieces of the jigsaw. Provide solutions, not problems. Deliver only the highest quality work.
What are your plans for the future?
As I reach the end of my career, I am reducing the hours that I spend on consulting work, but I intend to continue to make contributions in reviewing consulting reports, in strategic advisory engagements and in mentoring, together with some pro bono work. I have begun some studies in prehistoric archaeology, completing an advanced diploma, and hope to explore more topics in this field. I hope to spend more time being active outdoors that I have been able to in recent years.
